FROM FORT BENTON TO THE FLATIIEAD CAMP. 307 



miles from the fort. This river is a wide and deep stream, that rises in the Belt mountains, 

 which here form the most eastern range of the Rocky mountains, and empties into the Missouri 

 just below the mouth of the Judith river. It winds through a most beautiful valley of ten miles 

 in width, the grass of which w r e found very high, excellent, and green. This river is about forty 

 to fifty yards wide, and between two and four feet deep, with a very rapid current; the current 

 is much more m so where we struck it than that of the Missouri itself. The stream during the 

 high-water season, judging from the portion of the bed at present dry, is about one hundred and 

 twenty yards wide; the water is perfectly clear and limpid. This stream is exceedingly well 

 wooded, the trees growing in the greatest abundance on its banks being cotton-wood, willow, and 

 wild cherry. Where we struck the river, which was below its two forks about one mile, the bed 

 of the stream has a gravelly bottom. Large quantities of gravel are also to be found on its 

 banks, forming in some places a purely gravel formation. About five miles before striking the 

 Muscle Shell we found a large bed of gray sandstone that outcropped from the bluffs or hills of 

 the prairie, which was highly impregnated with iron. This has been the only rock that has 

 been observed since leaving the Highwood mountains. 



The night of this day was mild and pleasant ; very little frost during the night, but towards 

 morning it became very cold. 



September 14, 1853. Commences very cold and cloudy. At half past 4 a. m. the thermometer 

 stood at 38 Fah., the appearance of the clouds in the west giving indications of rain. The air 

 i rom the Snow mountains this morning we found exceedingly chilly, making an overcoat quite 

 comfortable. We resumed our march at 6.30 a. m. During the evening of the previous day we 

 examined to see if the Flathead camp had passed the Muscle Shell below the point where we 

 struck it. Our guide examined on both sides of the river, and finding no trail on either side, we 

 concluded that their camp must be still up the river. We had heard they were on the river, 

 above the forks ; so we turned our horses heads up the river in search of their camp, which 

 course we pursued for four miles, when we found unmistakable evidence that they had gone down 

 the river. Retracing our steps, we followed the river along the left bank for nineteen miles, to 

 our noon halt. After journeying six miles below our camp of last night, we fell upon a camping 

 ground of the Flatheads, which we supposed they had left about three days before. About the 

 same distance farther down we fell upon a second camp they had left, where we had nooned. 



The valley of the Muscle Shell river still continues to be well grassed and well wooded, the 

 cotton- wood still abounding; the stream retaining its general width. When journeying down the 

 river, we passed the mouth of the fork from the southwest that rises in the snow mountains. The 

 northwestern fork takes its rise in the main chain of the Belt mountains. The southern fork is 

 well wooded, by which means you can trace it far along in the distance, as it rounds through 

 the valley to the base of the mountains. 



At our nooning of the day, there was to our left, rising from the bluffs of the valley of the river, 

 a high and wooded ridge, extending to the Highwood mountains, the wood being principally of 

 pine. 



Having found that the trail of the Flatheads crossed the Muscle Shell, we passed to the opposite 

 bank, when we entered a very rough and rugged country, crossing a short prairie in the interval. 

 About two or three miles after leaving the Muscle Shell we passed a high ridge of rocks, covered 

 with pine. This ridge was about three hundred feet high above the valley. This was only the 

 commencement of the bad lands that extended back from the river for a distance of many miles. 

 Ascending a high peak in following the trail, we could see far into the distance, but no sign whatever 

 of the Flatheads met our view. The appearance of the trail indicated that it was at least six 

 days old. I here concluded that with my pack-animals it would be impossible for us to overtake 

 them at our present rate of travelling, so we went into camp, which I placed in charge of Mr. 

 Burr, and early the next morning started with the Piegan guide, mounted on two of our best 

 horses, in search of their camp. This we followed for a distance of about eighty miles southeast 



